I'm going to do something I don't do very often, and that is let you in behind the veil. These are conversations that I have had with my wife and parents, and despite what some people will think of it, I'm going to go ahead and share these thoughts with you.
Here are some facts for you to consider while reading this:
- Election Day is November 3rd and early voting has either already begun or begins soon
- Extremists on the left have threatened to riot if Trump wins re-election
- Extremists on the right have threatened secession or civil war if Biden is elected
- Riots have already happened and the infrastructure is ready for more in most cities
- There appears to be funding available for these extremist groups to take action
The Los Angeles Times wrote that many people feel that the violence is only a stone's throw, or election result, away. The problem is that as much as I'd love to tell them that they're wrong, I can't.
So what? Yes, that continues to be my favorite question, I ask it CONSTANTLY.
Well the "so what" is that if you're haven't already started preparing, you likely should do so, and really, you should hurry.
There are many good short prep lists, and my wife found one that was backpack based for our family that allows each family member to grab their assigned backpack, and for me to grab a family bag as well, and for us to bail out for a short term stay. For the sake of brevity, I won't list all of them, but you can find the one we used HERE.
We've made plans for the family on November 3rd that will take them out of and away from the city, and I've started talking to a few friends to see if they want to have an election watching sleepover party to keep the homestead safe. Am I overreacting? Possibly, but the Washington Times says that I'm not alone if I am.
Now, I'm lucky to live in Texas, so protection isn't as big of an issue for me as it is for some. I have the means and determination to defend myself, and law enforcement (outside of crazy places like Houston, Dallas, and Austin) has been beefed up or is being supplemented prior to election night. That said, many people around this great country aren't so lucky, and if you happen to be one of those, here are some recommendations that I have for you:
- Get out of town. No, not to a small or rural town, we can't promise that they won't be targeted. GET OUT OF TOWN. Go camping, fishing, and/or hiking. Be somewhere that there are no people. Leave straight from the polls if you haven't already done your early voting. Don't be near ANY population center. If the worst doesn't come to pass, you had a nice little vacation. No harm, no foul.
- Have enough supplies to get you through a couple of days out there, just in case chaos breaks loose. There is no telling when law and order will be restored, or what it will look like once it is restored. Being able to be off grid and yet reachable will be important should the worst happen.
- Have enough supplies at home to go at least 30-45 days without a resupply. Dry goods, toiletries, water (though in most places utilities should still work), and things of that nature should be ready as delays in truck deliveries and store functions could easily occur. Even if your local Wal-Mart doesn't get looted, that doesn't mean there will be anything for you to buy. Remember the toilet paper "shortage."
- Get an emergency radio, phone charger, water filtration kit, and wood burning camp stove. These should be mobile, like in a family bag, and taken with you when you leave the city and returned with you when you come back. These are always good things to keep in your trunk anyway, but are the essential backbone of any emergency preparedness kit.
I'm not going to go into a bunch of other stuff, as I don't think it'll stretch beyond 30-45 days, but I would urge you to be ready for as much as you can. You have about three weeks to be ready, and unfortunately, that's NOT a lot of time. My recommendation, for what it's worth, is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
What's the worst case scenario if nothing happens and none of these fears come to pass? Well, you're stocked up and prepared for any kind of emergency such as a tornado, hurricane, or blizzard. What's the worst case scenario if you're not prepared and these things do occur?
Well, I'll let you do the mental gymnastics on that.
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